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Poudre board raises concerns over discrimination reports at Liberty Common, proposes outreach and oversight
Summary
Board members cited recent reporting and constituent complaints about discriminatory conduct at Liberty Common, a district‑authorized charter, and discussed inviting the charter’s board to a working session, seeking OCR updates and broader corrective‑action reporting.
The Poudre School District Board of Education on Nov. 19 pressed for clearer oversight and corrective action after board members said they had received reports and recent media coverage alleging discriminatory conduct at Liberty Common, a district‑authorized charter school.
Director Kevin Hovelda, speaking at the board‑topics section of the meeting, said he was ‘‘recently made aware of a news story’’ and constituent contacts that raised ‘‘very serious concerns’’ and quoted the charter contract’s nondiscrimination clause, saying Liberty Common ‘‘shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations prohibiting discrimination.’’ He described those provisions as mandatory and called them ‘‘deal breakers’’ if violated.
Hovelda proposed inviting Liberty Common’s board to a working session to ‘‘have a frank discussion’’ about the issues and to explore how district and charter governance teams can align on shared values and remedies. Several board members supported a formal update on corrective actions and requested documentation from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR); Superintendent Brian Kingsley said the district has requested updates from Liberty’s leadership and that an OCR update is due by the end of the calendar year.
Other board members recommended a range of responses: focused working sessions with schools that have experienced incidents, district‑led convenings of schools facing similar problems, or staff briefings on what steps the district is taking to investigate and repair harm. Director Scott Schoenbauer urged training for staff who may hear reports and need guidance on how to respond.
Kingsley said district staff have asked Liberty’s leadership for direct updates and that the superintendent has received a report in mid‑October; he emphasized the district will look for ‘‘validation and the evidence that comes behind that through OCR’’ to ensure corrective actions are substantive and not merely performative.
The board did not take formal punitive action at the meeting; members said the next steps should include receiving staff briefings, monitoring the OCR submission, and determining whether a joint meeting with charter governance leaders would be productive. Several directors emphasized that protecting students from discrimination is a nonnegotiable district value and that the board will seek to align charter authorizers and operators around that standard.
